2017 MLB All Star Game/Home Run Derby Thread

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by jrg:

oh, so we're ranking stadiums we haven't been to? gotcha

lulz

Assuming you have eyes, you're still allowed to have an opinion on a stadium. I dont factor in concessions or concourse walking space into my opinion, so all I really need is to have seen the place and be familiar with the views, dimensions, and attributes.

AT&T has a great atmosphere and vibe when youre in attendance, but you dont need to have ever been there to know how great of a park it is. The same can be said about Busch.

My point is going to these stadiums is an experience. It's more than just looking at pictures. When I went to Wrigley I understood that. You look at Wrigley and probably think "meh". It doesn't look like the best stadium. You go there and it's totally different. I've explained the same to those who haven't been to Busch. I was told "it looks like every other new stadium", but until you actually experience it, you don't truly know.

"Experience" is all relative to each specific game. If you go to Wrigley and it rains, it was a crappy experience. If you go to O.co Coliseum and see a perfect game, it was a great experience.

Well of course, but I'm talking about a regular day at the ballpark. I'm sure the "experience" at AT&T Park >>>>> O.co.

Right, but IMO you dont need a game "experience" in order to judge a stadium. That would fall under its own unique category of fan culture, park history, food, etc.

When I talk about ranking stadiums, im going off of aesthetics, view, dimensions, unique/notable features, etc. Things that give a stadium character. Most stadiums have their own unique attributes that help it stand out.

NFL stadiums have very little character. Hockey and NBA arenas have almost no character. In most of them you wouldn't even notice a difference besides the colors the fans are wearing. Baseball stadiums stand out, because they can design them however they want.

I dont care how great the atmosphere at US Cellular Field is, or how nice the facilities are, that stadium is boring. It has no view, and its only unique feature are those random mint candy looking pinwheels above the CF scoreboard. Its about as cookie cutter as it gets.

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by jrg:

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by jrg:

oh, so we're ranking stadiums we haven't been to? gotcha

lulz

Assuming you have eyes, you're still allowed to have an opinion on a stadium. I dont factor in concessions or concourse walking space into my opinion, so all I really need is to have seen the place and be familiar with the views, dimensions, and attributes.

AT&T has a great atmosphere and vibe when youre in attendance, but you dont need to have ever been there to know how great of a park it is. The same can be said about Busch.

My point is going to these stadiums is an experience. It's more than just looking at pictures. When I went to Wrigley I understood that. You look at Wrigley and probably think "meh". It doesn't look like the best stadium. You go there and it's totally different. I've explained the same to those who haven't been to Busch. I was told "it looks like every other new stadium", but until you actually experience it, you don't truly know.

"Experience" is all relative to each specific game. If you go to Wrigley and it rains, it was a crappy experience. If you go to O.co Coliseum and see a perfect game, it was a great experience.

Well of course, but I'm talking about a regular day at the ballpark. I'm sure the "experience" at AT&T Park >>>>> O.co.

Right, but IMO you dont need a game "experience" in order to judge a stadium. That would fall under its own unique category of fan culture, park history, food, etc.

When I talk about ranking stadiums, im going off of aesthetics, view, dimensions, unique/notable features, etc. Things that give a stadium character. Most stadiums have their own unique attributes that help it stand out.

NFL stadiums have very little character. Hockey and NBA arenas have almost no character. In most of them you wouldn't even notice a difference besides the colors the fans are wearing. Baseball stadiums stand out, because they can design them however they want.

I dont care how great the atmosphere at US Cellular Field is, or how nice the facilities are, that stadium is boring. It has no view, and its only unique feature are those random mint candy looking pinwheels above the CF scoreboard. Its about as cookie cutter as it gets.

Well I just disagree with that completely. I think the different characteristics about a stadium make each stadium enjoyable for that reason. It's what makes different places great. You don't go to Dodger Stadium and not get a Dodger dog, you don't go to Wrigley to sit outside the bleachers, you don't go to AT&T Park and not get garlic fries.

To me, there are certain things you can only experience in that moment. I can't get garlic fries at Busch.

While I find different features of the ballparks cool as well, there is just certain things you experience actually being there compared to what you see in pictures/on tv. Sitting up on top of the green monster in Fenway may seem alright, but actually doing it and being there is what makes it greats

I can tell you about many different things about Busch Stadium, but until you do it yourself, you won't appreciate it as much.

Mainly my thought is you can look at pictures and watch stuff on tv, but unless you've been there to experience it in person, you may not REALLY know what that place has to offer.

Originally posted by Niners99:

Wow, you even got out to Milwaukee, Tampa Bay, Cincy, KC, etc? Some parks would be hard to see unless you lived nearby. There arent a ton of reasons to go to Milwaukee.

My brother said that Citi Field is way better than Yankee Stadium, which was "soulless", and "corporate". I guess when you strip away all the history and tradition from Yankee Stadium, and build a replica, its just a generic stadium with overpriced seats. He said the food at Yankee Stadium was surprisingly bad and limited for New York.

Come to think of it, the Yankees are kind of trending the same way as the 49ers. Many similarities. A former dynasty with an eccentric owner that wanted to win at all costs, now owned by the kids of the family who treat it like a money making business, who have opened up a soulless, corporate new stadium.

KC was by choice. I visited some friends and went to a game. When I was a young single guy, I had a good friend who grew up in Milwaukee so we went to his house and hit up a game. He described Milwaukee as awesome. It's horrible. Don't ever go. Baseball experience was cool. Cincinnati was in line with a work trip. Most depressing city I've ever been to with a nice park in the middle of it. Tampa was a work trip and it was ok.

Old Yankee stadium was on my bucket list and I never went. My friends who have gone to the new one say it's not that great. I'll still go someday, but only because it happens to line up with something else in NY. I'm more excited to see giants and Mets in NY.

Originally posted by jrg:

Mainly my thought is you can look at pictures and watch stuff on tv, but unless you've been there to experience it in person, you may not REALLY know what that place has to offer.

But im saying that when I rank stadiums, I only look at aesthetics. I cant rank them based on fan experience, because ive never been to most. But I can rank them based on the visual stuff. Ive also never been moved by an in-stadium experience that made my preconceived opinion radically different. I feel like if I went to Busch, id come away thinking it was about what I expected. Its not like my stadium experience would move it up or down in my ranking.

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by jrg:
Mainly my thought is you can look at pictures and watch stuff on tv, but unless you've been there to experience it in person, you may not REALLY know what that place has to offer.

But im saying that when I rank stadiums, I only look at aesthetics. I cant rank them based on fan experience, because ive never been to most. But I can rank them based on the visual stuff. Ive also never been moved by an in-stadium experience that made my preconceived opinion radically different. I feel like if I went to Busch, id come away thinking it was about what I expected. Its not like my stadium experience would move it up or down in my ranking.

I pretty much rank them on aesthetics and whats right around the stadium to do. A lot f the stadiums I have been to I didnt get to see the Giants play, so I really didn't give a s**t about the game. Mostly just rooted for the home team. The experience to me is the stadium, the looks, the food/drink, , how comfortable it is, the view, what to do right outside the gate on game days, etc.

I saw an incredible game in Oakland as a kid where Billy Martin kicked dirt on the ump and got ejected, big homers in the game as well...probably one of the coolest games I had been to but the stadium still pretty much blows nut sacks.

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:
The only parks I have left to attend are:

• Yankees
• Mets (was supposed to go this year but didnt realize we play that early in the year. Doing next year)
• Fenway (next tuesday)
• PNC (was going to go this year but the Boston trip took priority. Will do next year)
• Wrigley- Next year for sure.
• Cards - My wife bosses keeps wanting to take me but I dont care to go. Drove by a few times though. Will do someday.
• Toronto

I think that is it. When they build the new Braves park I will have to add that back to the list.

Wow, well some new s**t has come to light.

I've been to Comerica and Jacob's Field the year it opened, whatever Cleveland calls it now? lol

So you were at Comerica and didn't call me to say hi? damn, that's SoCold.

Originally posted by SoCold:

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:
The only parks I have left to attend are:

• Yankees
• Mets (was supposed to go this year but didnt realize we play that early in the year. Doing next year)
• Fenway (next tuesday)
• PNC (was going to go this year but the Boston trip took priority. Will do next year)
• Wrigley- Next year for sure.
• Cards - My wife bosses keeps wanting to take me but I dont care to go. Drove by a few times though. Will do someday.
• Toronto

I think that is it. When they build the new Braves park I will have to add that back to the list.

Wow, well some new s**t has come to light.

I've been to Comerica and Jacob's Field the year it opened, whatever Cleveland calls it now? lol

So you were at Comerica and didn't call me to say hi? damn, that's SoCold.

oh s**t. I have not been to Cleveland. My bad. I went to Comerica on those trips we discussed a long time ago. You know we have a lot of people in that area.

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:

Originally posted by SoCold:

Originally posted by Rubberneck36:
The only parks I have left to attend are:

• Yankees
• Mets (was supposed to go this year but didnt realize we play that early in the year. Doing next year)
• Fenway (next tuesday)
• PNC (was going to go this year but the Boston trip took priority. Will do next year)
• Wrigley- Next year for sure.
• Cards - My wife bosses keeps wanting to take me but I dont care to go. Drove by a few times though. Will do someday.
• Toronto

I think that is it. When they build the new Braves park I will have to add that back to the list.

Wow, well some new s**t has come to light.

I've been to Comerica and Jacob's Field the year it opened, whatever Cleveland calls it now? lol

So you were at Comerica and didn't call me to say hi? damn, that's SoCold.

oh s**t. I have not been to Cleveland. My bad. I went to Comerica on those trips we discussed a long time ago. You know we have a lot of people in that area.

Cleveland's stadium is pretty cool. Back then it was sold out and the Tigers sucked and Cleveland was good so we got nose bleed seats. We were sitting 3rd base side in the clouds. The area where people stand above LF is cool. A BP ball came right for me hit the concrete and bounced 20 ft over my head lol.

AS Game prices

Originally posted by jrg:

AS Game prices

I still don't understand how stadium pricing isn't considered extortion.

And then they cry when poor people sell bootleg tshirts and bottles of water for cheaper outside the stadium.

The Home Run Derby has always occupied a strange place in the sports television landscape. It's a made-up event for television, but one that has the sporting public's attention. It easily outdraws the Stanley Cup Finals every year—even in down years—and the 7.1 million viewers who watched the event in 2015 was more than the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals between the Cavs and Celtics averaged (6.3 million) this year.

https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/07/09/all-star-game-home-run-derby-karl-ravech-chris-berman-espn

lol

Originally posted by SoCold:

The Home Run Derby has always occupied a strange place in the sports television landscape. It's a made-up event for television, but one that has the sporting public's attention. It easily outdraws the Stanley Cup Finals every year—even in down years—and the 7.1 million viewers who watched the event in 2015 was more than the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals between the Cavs and Celtics averaged (6.3 million) this year.

https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/07/09/all-star-game-home-run-derby-karl-ravech-chris-berman-espn

lol

That's shocking, actually. The HR Derby is incredibly boring. Especially in the stadiums with very few unique landmarks to hit the ball at. Plus up until now you had the added downside of Chris Berman commentating.

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by SoCold:

The Home Run Derby has always occupied a strange place in the sports television landscape. It's a made-up event for television, but one that has the sporting public's attention. It easily outdraws the Stanley Cup Finals every year—even in down years—and the 7.1 million viewers who watched the event in 2015 was more than the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals between the Cavs and Celtics averaged (6.3 million) this year.

https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/07/09/all-star-game-home-run-derby-karl-ravech-chris-berman-espn

lol

That's shocking, actually. The HR Derby is incredibly boring. Especially in the stadiums with very few unique landmarks to hit the ball at. Plus up until now you had the added downside of Chris Berman commentating.

Back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back gone

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by SoCold:

The Home Run Derby has always occupied a strange place in the sports television landscape. It's a made-up event for television, but one that has the sporting public's attention. It easily outdraws the Stanley Cup Finals every year—even in down years—and the 7.1 million viewers who watched the event in 2015 was more than the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals between the Cavs and Celtics averaged (6.3 million) this year.

https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/07/09/all-star-game-home-run-derby-karl-ravech-chris-berman-espn

lol

That's shocking, actually. The HR Derby is incredibly boring. Especially in the stadiums with very few unique landmarks to hit the ball at. Plus up until now you had the added downside of Chris Berman commentating.

Literally nothing else on. What else are you going to watch tonight some summer league nba game. lol

The two days after the AS game might be the worst sports days of the year.